Princess Kaya
by Imoen Leslati
Summary: My idea of what happens to Kaya after Ashitaka leaves.


Hello. My first attempt at ANY fanfic on here, so bear  
with me.  
Princess Mononoke is not mine. I think the movie is  
Miramax Entertainment's brainchild. There is evidence  
of my new tribe in the movie. Gold stars to anyone who  
can tell me where it is!  
  
Princess Kaya  
  
Kaya watched, unseen, on the ground, looking up at the  
hut of the council. She didn't know what was going on;  
all she knew was that her brother, the prince Ashitaka,  
was in there.  
That big demon had wounded him, badly. Kaya was very  
afraid that, either through death or exile, Ashitaka  
would have to leave the village.  
She waited for a very long time, until her brother  
emerged. His topknot had been cut; he would leave the  
village. Kaya blinked back tears.  
What about the mark? Would it kill him? If he was  
dying, why couldn't he stay here, among his friends and  
family? Or was there a chance? Could he live if he  
left?  
Ashitaka had donned a mask and cloak, to hide himself.  
He mounted his faithful elk, Yakkul, and began to ride  
out of the village. Kaya darted from her hiding place.  
Though the rules of exile forbade it, Kaya had to say  
goodbye to her brother.  
"Ashitaka!"  
Ashitaka halted Yakkul. "Kaya, what are you doing here?  
You know it's forbidden."  
"Do you think I care about that?" Kaya removed her  
necklace. "I came to give you this, so you won't forget  
your little sister."  
Ashitaka looked down at the necklace. "Your crystal  
dagger. Kaya, I can't take this..."  
"Please keep it with you, brother, to protect you."  
Kaya blinked back tears again. Her words came rushed  
now. "You must take it with you, please. I want you to  
have it so you won't forget..."  
Ashitaka took the dagger. "Kaya, you know I could never  
forget you."  
Ashitaka dug his heels into Yakkul's sides, riding away  
from his village, and his sister. Kaya let the tears  
flow freely as she watched her older brother depart.  
"Goodbye, Ashitaka," she whispered.  
*****  
In the morning, there was a different feeling in the air  
around the Emishi village. Kaya, especially, was much  
sadder, going about her tasks mechanically, her thoughts  
lost in her brother.  
Various members of the village came to console her.  
Though it was not certain that Ashitaka was dead, he was  
dead to the village.  
Kaya had to know more. Was her brother surely dead?  
There was only one person who knew; the wise woman.  
Kaya respectfully approached the wise woman's tent.  
"Enter, child," came the weak voice.  
The wise woman smiled as Kaya entered.  
"You wish to know the fate of your brother, Ashitaka."  
Kaya nodded, fighting tears at the mere mention of  
Ashitaka's name. "Please. What did the boar do to  
him?"  
"The mark on Ashitaka's arm will spread throughout his  
body, destroying both bone and flesh, until it kills  
him."  
"So his death is sure?" Kaya asked. "The curse cannot  
be removed?"  
The wise woman shook her head. "The curse may be  
removed, if Ashitaka is able to rise and meet his  
destiny."  
Kaya nodded. "There is hope for him. If he is strong."  
"It is better not to think of him, child," the wise  
woman said. "He cannot come back. You will never see  
him again."  
Kaya shook her head, crying now. "No! He is not dead.  
Not yet! I know he is strong enough to fight the mark,  
to destroy the curse! You are wrong!" With that, Kaya  
fled the wise woman's tent, crying, as if fighting the  
fact that Ashitaka was gone.  
*****  
Kaya did not sleep that night. She had gone into  
Ashitaka's old tent, as the room made her feel closer to  
her brother. He couldn't be dead. Not already. She  
had to do something...but what?  
Kaya was stuck in the village, Ashitaka had gone far  
away. How could she possibly help him?  
After the rest of the sleepless night, Kaya realized  
what she had to do...  
*****  
Kaya finally could not stand this feeling anymore. The  
rest of the village could believe what it liked; she had  
to find her brother.  
The wise woman picked up on Kaya's feelings immediately,  
and went to the girl.  
"You wish to leave, and find your brother."  
Kaya nodded. "He's dying. He needs to be with someone  
he knows. Where did he go?"  
The wise woman thought for a long time before answering.  
"You will leave to find him, whether I tell you or not,"  
the wise woman concluded. Kaya nodded, knowing it was  
true.  
"He went to the lands in the west, where the boar god  
came from."  
Kaya trembled. "The lands where the giant animal gods  
live? Where the forest spirit still protects the land?"  
The wise woman nodded. "If you have the courage to go  
after your brother, you will find your destiny."  
Kaya unsheathed her wakazashi, and gripped her topknot.  
She hesitated.  
"You realize what this means, child," the wise woman  
said. "You are one of the youngest of the Emishi. This  
sheltered land is all you have known. Are you sure you  
are ready to leave us?"  
Kaya shut her eyes. "I must find my brother."  
She sliced with the wakazashi.  
*****  
The village mourned once more, as their princess left  
them. Again, all doors were shut, as Kaya drew her  
black cloak about her. She mounted her own elk, Tasha,  
and rode from the village to the west. There was no one  
to watch her, or bid her farewell, but she did not care.  
She had to follow her brother, and find her destiny.  
*****  
Kaya was two days behind her brother, on a slower elk,  
and had no clue of where Ashitaka was going. Still, she  
let her destiny guide her, as she wise woman had said.  
The only conscious thing she did was to keep their path  
in a vaguely western direction.  
The forest was dense, but not devoid of life. Even the  
sheltered child that she was, Kaya could tell that this  
was at least close to the forest spirit's home.  
Everything she saw...was alive. It was all beautiful,  
untouched by humans. Tasha seemed right at home.  
*claka claka claka*  
Kaya whirled around in her seat, halting Tasha. What  
was that noise? She readied her wakazashi, just in  
case.  
*claka claka claka*  
From the other side this time; but still, nothing was  
there.  
*claka claka claka*  
Was she going insane? What was this?  
*claka claka claka*  
This time, the creature revealed itself. Kaya was about  
to draw her wakazashi and attack the movement.  
The creature was only a few inches tall, white, with  
two blank eyes and a round mouth. It looked at Kaya,  
smiling. Kaya let go of her wakazashi.  
Ashitaka had told her of these creatures, tree spirits.  
Kodama? Was that it? It certainly was cute.  
Well, if it was a tree spirit, it should be treated with  
respect.  
"Hello," Kaya began. "I am Kaya. I am looking for my  
brother, who I believe passed through this forest. He  
rode a red elk like mine. He had a black mark on his  
right arm. Have you seen him?"  
The Kodama made a very slow, rattling motion with its  
head that seemed to indicate that it had.  
"Where did he go?"  
The Kodama beckoned, and started to run. Kaya blinked.  
She had not expected to find her brother so easily.  
Kaya nudged Tasha, and followed after the little Kodama.  
*****  
Kaya was actually very far from Ashitaka, but she did  
not care about the distance. The Kodama seemed to run  
tirelessly, looking back every once in a while. Very  
suddenly, the Kodama came to a stop.  
"Is he here?"  
The Kodama faded from sight.  
"Hey!"  
Tasha sniffed the air, and let out a snort of fear.  
Kaya started to move for her wakazashi, but it was too  
late; they had been surrounded.  
  
  
Apes. Dozens of them, if not hundreds. They weren't  
the most sturdy of tribes, so they made up for it in  
numbers. Kaya looked around in fear, seeing pairs of  
glowing red eyes everywhere around her.  
"Pl...please," she stammered. "I merely look...for my  
brother. I mean you no harm. Pl-ease let me pass."  
  
Kaya looked around desperately for a way out. To the  
left, there were the fewest apes. She might be able to  
ride that way, killing any that got in her way. But  
they might still overpower her on sheer numbers.  
The apes started to throw branches and rocks at her.  
The blows rained down on Tasha and Kaya. Kaya tried to  
deflect the projectiles, but they came from all  
directions, nearly constantly. Tasha took quite a few  
heavy blows, and sank to the ground.  
"Please, Tasha, get up. I need you if we get a chance  
to escape."  
The elk wheezed, but could not get her legs to support  
her.  
"Please..." Kaya paused to breathe off a heavy rock.  
"Please."  
There was a loud growl, audible throughout the clearing.  
The projectiles very suddenly stopped coming. Kaya  
looked up, more afraid of the growls than of the apes.  
There was an immense shadow, moving through the line of  
apes. The monkeys scattered, not even bothering to  
stand and fight this thing. A few were too slow, and  
were destroyed by the black shadow. Kaya could just  
make out two smaller shapes behind the larger one,  
destroying what the larger left behind. What could  
these be?   
The apes were soon dispersed, but Kaya was still afraid.  
She could not see where the shadows had gone to, and  
her mount could not move. Her wakazashi was her only  
defense.  
The growling grew closer, but now it was clear enough  
to form words.  
  
Kaya replied, "I have come to follow my brother, and  
find my destiny." That was what the wise woman had told  
her, and that was the story Kaya was sticking to.  
Kaya could see the shadow looming closer.  
  
This was a slightly different voice, but Kaya still  
responded.  
"I love my brother with all my heart. I would venture  
into the depths of these frosts, past any dangers, to  
find him. No matter if I was allowed or not."  
A third voice, this one older.  
"Never. He is cursed, and may die soon. I will find  
him, and help him, even if I must die myself."  
The same older  
voice.  
"Yes."  
There was silence for a long while.  
The old voice came again,  
this time obviously from the largest shadow.  
  
  
There came a low growling.  
The largest shadow moved forward.   
Kaya looked up, trying to get a glimpse of the shape's  
face.  
I am Rayo. We are the bear tribe.  
*****  
The two younger bears, Gari and Bromo, took Kaya and  
Tasha with them. The wounded elk was very uneasy with  
the bears, but they had already eaten their fill of the  
ape tribe.  
When they rested that night, Kaya had a few questions  
for Rayo.  
"Why do you wish to help me?"  
  
"What do you need help with?"  
  
Kaya looked at Rayo, concerned.  
I am a god here, but I am dying. If we die with hatred  
in our hearts, we become demons; creatures that do even  
more damage to this forest than the humans.  
Kaya nodded. The demon Nago that had already attacked  
their village was a testament to that.  
  
Kaya recoiled a little. The bear god was asking her, a  
mere child, for help? Still, she could not allow Rayo  
to become a demon. She nodded.  
"I will help you with as much energy as I use to find  
my brother."  
Rayo nodded.   
*****  
It was nightfall when they made it to the clearing of  
the forest spirit. Or, when they came close to the  
clearing. They waited outside the clearing, for there  
was something going on.  
They reached the outskirts of the clearing just as the  
forest spirit was shot.  
  
Kaya stared, very afraid, as the only creature that  
could help find her brother fell to the ground.  
Humans rushed forward, and grabbed the creature's head.  
growled Bromo.  
said Rayo.  
Rayo and Bromo readied  
themselves to jump into the clearing.  
"Rayo!" Kaya had to help her. "No. If you wish to  
remove the hatred from your heart, you will stay."  
Gari nodded.   
Rayo paused, and looked at her daughter.  
came Bromo.   
The darkness began to spread from the forest spirit's  
body, killing the surrounding vegetation.  
Gari said, looking at her mother.  
  
Rayo turned.   
*****  
The bears found safe haven, on a cliff, and were able to  
look down on the forest. Kaya could not help but cry  
at the mass destruction. The darkness consumed  
everything. She could see the Kodama dying, as well, as  
the trees were destroyed.  
"No," Kaya sobbed. "If the forest spirit brings life,  
why is it killing everything now?"  
  
Kaya watched in silence as the forest spirit's darkness  
consumed the forest, and the nearby Iron Town.  
There was only one little spot left, when the darkness  
stopped.  
"What?"  
The green began to reappear. Rayo had been right; all  
was rebuilding. Kaya did not understand at all.  
"Will everything be back to normal after this?"  
Rayo shook her head.   
"But the forest spirit sacrificed himself for this. He  
meant for this to happen."  
Rayo nodded.   
Kaya blinked. "What?"  
  
"You are wrong, Rayo."  
Rayo narrowed her eyes at Kaya.   
Kaya nodded. "You will see. The humans will change.  
They know what the forest spirit meant to us. He could  
have stayed to fight them, but he chose to give himself.  
Even humans can understand the significance of what  
happened here today."  
Rayo remained silent for a long while.   
Kaya nodded.  
Rayo looked down at the remainder of Iron Town.  
  
*****  
Rayo was impressed by the changes that she did see. The  
bodies of hundreds of boars still remained from the  
battle. The humans sent out scouts to round up every  
single boar body. Every corpse was brought to one  
place, and they were burned, with proper death rites  
being said.  
The corpse of Morrow was not found, but there was an odd  
column of smoke rising from the forest spirit's  
clearing.  
Rayo was almost speechless.   
Kaya nodded. "Now that they understand."  
During the time that they watched the humans, Rayo, Gari  
and Bromo took Kaya in. She helped them understand the  
humans, and they helped her understand the bears. They  
treated Kaya like one of their own, much like Morrow had  
treated San.  
Tasha still stayed around, healed from the attack, but  
she was nervous in the presence of the bears. Although  
there was plenty to eat, Bromo would tease the poor elk  
every once in a while.  
Through interaction with Kaya, Rayo learned to accept  
the humans. She would often have long debates with  
young Kaya about the humans. Luckily, Kaya was always  
ready with answers.  
  
Kaya was definitely ready for this question. "Now the  
gods will allow them to get at the iron, because the  
humans will respect them while they mine it. Rather  
than trying to destroy the gods, they will live with the  
gods, and respectfully ask permission to mine, rather  
than just take."  
  
"Because we have seen that the alternative is much  
worse."  
*****  
Kaya could see that Rayo was getting weaker. Kaya still  
worked just as hard to help Rayo gain peace within  
herself, to allow her to pass on to a better world.  
Gari and Bromo were afraid for their mother, but they  
had understood that Rayo would leave them, and only  
three would be left in the bear tribe.  
Because of her help, Gari and Bromo looked to Kaya as a  
sister; as one of them. Kaya cared for Rayo just as   
much as they did, and they accepted that.  
There was one fateful day, though, that changed  
everything.  
Although the majority of the forest was accepting of the  
humans, there was still one tribe that was behind the  
times.  
The ape tribe.  
The apes still accused the humans of killing the forest  
spirit, and saw the other tribes as weak because they  
were willing to let the humans mine for iron. The apes  
thought the humans were going to take over the forest,  
just more sneakily this time. The other tribes were not  
willing to listen, so the apes had to act on their own.  
The bear tribe was the only tribe to pick up on the  
increased ape activity.  
suggested Gari,   
Bromo always had to be the  
pessimist.  
Rayo admitted. Rayo really had changed.   
Gari and Bromo growled their readiness. Tasha snorted  
and ground her hoof into the dirt. Kaya reached for her  
old wakazashi.  
"We are ready, Rayo."  
*****  
The apes had no formal military march; they all just  
charged through the forest, in a straight path towards  
the humans. All the while, cries of   
could be heard.  
Some gathered rocks, branches, logs, projectiles to  
throw at the humans. Others just screamed war cries  
to rile up the apes.  
With all the preparations for war, they did not even  
notice the bear tribe until they were already being  
attacked.  
The scene was similar to the scene of Kaya's rescue,  
only this time, Kaya and Tasha were not incapacitated.  
The immense bears charged through the ranks of the apes,  
ripping, clawing, killing. Kaya rode Tasha, slicing  
left and right with her wakazashi. Even Tasha helped,  
battering the apes with her hoofs and horns.  
The apes reached for their projectile throwers. Rocks  
were passed around, then thrown at the intruders. The  
bears and elk moved too swiftly, and only rarely did a  
rock even graze one of the bear tribe.  
The bear tribe were fighting as one; at that moment,  
they were fighting so well that Kaya believed they were  
invincible.  
But Rayo was getting old, and she was not as swift as  
she had been.  
Although many of the apes were dead, they were  
determined to let nothing keep them from attacking the  
humans, so they still attacked the bears.  
One lucky rock was all it took.  
Rayo was lifting five apes off the ground, when one  
well-placed boulder landed squarely on her skull,  
disorienting her. She drooped, and stopped running,  
which allowed the apes to get a lock on her.  
  
"Rayo!"  
Kaya spurred Tasha to Rayo's side, to help the bear god.  
The two younger bears attacked even more viciously than  
before, to protect their mother.  
There was nothing left in this world, no time, no pain;  
just fighting, killing the apes, protecting Rayo. The  
four fought valiantly, and dispersed the rest of the  
apes, leaving only a few to flee for their lives.  
Although all four were badly wounded, their main concern  
was Rayo.  
Rayo lay on the ground, breathing deeply, blood oozing  
from dozens of wounds. Her skull was quite clearly  
broken, and her legs would aid her no more. Her fur was  
tinted red, from her blood, and that of the apes.  
Her eyes were glazed, but they focused when Kaya came  
near.  
"Rayo...mother."  
  
Kaya was crying freely. "Please, don't go."  
  
Kaya sniffed and nodded.  
Rayo paused to breathe.   
Kaya did not understand, but now was not the time to  
ask.  
  
The two bears, crying, nodded.  
I thank you again, Kaya, for cleansing the hatred from  
my heart.  
With that, Rayo, the great bear god, sank down into the  
dirt, never to breathe again.  
*****  
Kaya used her wakazashi to slice a long, thick piece  
from Rayo's hide. She got Gari and Bromo's permission  
before doing so, of course. The fur became Kaya's new  
cloak, as she discarded her old, worn black cloak.  
Rayo's body was then respectfully burned, along with the  
dead of the ape tribe. None of the bear tribe said a  
word, they were all too sorrowful.  
They did not need to speak, as they knew where to go  
next; to the clearing of the forest spirit. Kaya, Gari,  
Bromo and Tasha traveled, still in silence, remembering  
Rayo.  
Kaya went alone into the clearing. The others were  
still too saddened, and only Kaya had been told to  
enter.  
An immediate feeling of peace came over Kaya. So  
pretty, even without the forest spirit.  
There was a quick darting of movement. Kaya was afraid,  
but she did not even think of drawing her wakazashi in  
such a place.  
"Who is there?"  
A woman jumped from the bushes, bearing a spear.  
"You are human?" the woman asked.  
She wore the cloak of a wolf's hide, and a battle mask,  
but it was obviously a female human.  
"I am Kaya, of the bear tribe. I was told to go to this  
clearing, to find what I have been searching for."  
The woman removed her mask, putting down her spear.  
"I am San, of the wolf tribe."  
As San put down her mask, Kaya's eyes were drawn to  
something around San's neck. It glinted, just a little.  
Her crystal dagger.  
HER crystal dagger, the very same necklace she had given  
to Ashitaka.  
"Where did you get that necklace?"  
San jumped. "A friend gave it to me. Why?"  
Kaya's eyes widened. "Who was this friend?"  
"Ashitaka of Iron Town."  
*****  
San and Kaya both rode on Tasha, out of the forest to  
Iron Town. San's brothers had been left with Kaya's  
siblings at the edge of the forest. Kaya could hardly  
contain her happiness. She was going to find her   
brother at last.  
The gatekeepers shouted with joy, and quickly raised  
the gate when they saw San.  
"Someone call Ashitaka!"  
"Lucky girl!"  
San laughed. She was accustomed to the openness of the  
Iron Town women.  
Tasha was left at the gate, and the two forest daughters  
traveled by foot down the road. A figure was running  
down the road at full speed.  
"San!"  
San smiled. "Ashitaka!"  
Kaya gasped as Ashitaka neared. Ashitaka slowed down as  
he saw the second figure. He was clearly unsure of who  
she was.  
"Ashitaka!"  
When he heard the voice, though, he realized.  
"Kaya!"  
Ashitaka increased his speed, and ran to Kaya, lifting  
her off the ground in a big hug.  
"I have missed you, brother."  
"I promised I would not forget you, Kaya."  
Kaya smiled, and silently thanked Rayo. She had found  
what she had been searching for.  
*****  
The night was spent in celebration, of Kaya being found.  
Kaya spent the time telling of her stay with the bear  
tribe. When Ashitaka found out that the ape tribe had  
almost attacked, he was very surprised. So was San.  
"We should have noticed them preparing! I am sorry that  
Rayo is dead," San apologized.  
"I am just glad I helped her to die in peace," Kaya  
replied.  
Kaya stayed the night in Ashitaka's house, but at  
daybreak, she prepared to leave.  
"But Kaya...I finally found you. Why are you leaving?"  
"I have a responsibility to you, brother, but I have  
a brother and sister in the forest that need me just as  
much. I will still be here, just like San, if you  
need me, or if you really miss me. But I must return to  
Gari and Bromo."  
Ashitaka nodded. "I understand. Goodbye, my sister."  
"Goodbye, brother."  
Kaya was still crying when she went back into the  
forest, but she knew that she had to return to the bear  
tribe.  
Ashitaka whispered to himself, "You have grown much,  
Kaya. And you have found your destiny. Watch over the  
town, and help the gods live and die in peace." 


End file.
